


Time May Change Me

by Mysterious_Prophetess



Series: Bittersweet Memories [3]
Category: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi | Spirited Away, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Gen, Spirited Away AU, Tuna's Spirited Away AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:29:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28673748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysterious_Prophetess/pseuds/Mysterious_Prophetess
Summary: Time goes on at different paces for different places.A look at Izuku's life as a free-dragon in the Spirit World outside the Bathhouse.
Series: Bittersweet Memories [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2100699
Comments: 8
Kudos: 112





	Time May Change Me

_I wonder how long it’s been in the human world?_ Izuku lazily drifted through the skies. It was a summer part of the spirit world—a place where seasons happened as the rulers wished. The young dragon noticed a storm headed toward him. He dove down and saw the herald was Toshinori, as he’d hoped. The wolf okami glowed in time with lightning flashes in the storms he caused.

“Young Deku!” He greeted once Izuku matched his speed and flew along side him. The rain felt nice against his scales.

“How have things been at the bathhouse?” Izuku asked.

“Very much the same. The Witch is as she’s always been,” Toshinori said.

“Are you any closer to buying Urara’s contract?” Izuku asked.

“She won’t let me, I’m afraid but she’s doing well. She took over your old job after you won,” Toshinori said.

“She’s probably better at it,” Izuku said.

“She’s certainly more enthusiastic about it! You should stop by more often, Zawa misses you, even if the cat doesn’t want to admit it,” Toshinori said.

“You just want proof that I’m not a little noodle,” Izuku said. In the years since he’d won his freedom, Izuku’s dragon form had grown like a weed. Now he was easily approximately six meters long. It wasn’t much when compared to Lord All Rivers in One, but…most dragons weren’t compared to the Lord of Dragons. All except Izuku and One for All AKA Izuku’s current employer. The younger brother of All Rivers in One was a much gentler soul but his magical powers were less since he had but one river to his name and a few tributaries. Still, if it weren’t for his advice, Izuku might have lost that gambit against the Witch.

_“No matter the form or spell, you will know who your mother is. Trust your heart.”_

“Are you going to take up One River for All on his offer?” Toshinori asked.

“I’m not sure I’m ready to govern over a stream. Aren’t I a bit young in dragon years to do that?” Izuku asked. Toshinori let out a barking laugh.

“Most river dragons are born bound to streams,” Toshinori said.

“It’s just…maybe that much of me is still human that I don’t think I should be the god of any one river or stream,” Izuku said.

“It’s only natural for those like us,” Toshinori said. They flew in companionable silence for a while.

“Lord All Rivers in One found me during my tasks last week,” Izuku said.

“What has he done this time?”

“Kept offering me better protection and growth than his brother, and kept saying how it’s only right for family to be together,” Izuku said.

“That eye roll was audible, Young Deku,” Toshinori said.

“I know I should be more deferent to the Lord of Dragons, but he’s not my Lord or my boss’s lord,” Izuku said.

“He’s still an ancient and powerful dragon. Were it not for first the Witch’s power and now Lord Shigaraki the Younger’s, he’d have long since ensnared you for his designs,” Toshinori said.

“I know. I can’t help but feel some pity for him,” Izuku said.

“What does Lord One River for All have you doing these days?”

“Message delivery. I’m good at it and now that I’m better at flying, I’m almost as good as a mail truck,” Izuku said. He paused,

“Toshinori…am I going to forget the human world?”

“Only if you want to, are you having trouble remembering things?”

“Not a lot but some are harder to hold onto than others. I forgot what a telephone was for a whole day until I was dropping off a message to the Witch from One for All and I heard a new human kid complain about their phone not working,” Izuku said.

“I’m afraid to keep what’s important, you’ll lose some of what is not,” Toshinori said. Izuku “hmmed” which as a dragon came out as some sort of sub-growl hum. _Forget something like a phone to keep memory of my mother’s smile? Small price to pay._

“Is Lord Shigaraki the younger headed to the Bath House?”

“He’s due. He was sending me ahead to make sure his brother isn’t present. The Witch has a rule in place that forbids both brothers on her premises to keep the building from getting leveled. As powerful as Lord All Rivers in One is, I’ve never seen him cross her,” Izuku said.

“It’s because the power isn’t in the Witch, it’s in the Bathhouse itself,” Toshinori said.

“Oh, so like when he couldn’t just take me from the Bathhouse, it was because of its magic?”

“Yes. Will you be accompanying him? Last year when you didn’t your friends were disappointed,” Toshinori said.

“I think I will this year. It might not seem as strange to be on the other side of the Bathhouse now that I’ve worked for One for All for years now,” Izuku said.

“Tsu and Urara will be happy to hear that. I’ve got to finish up this storm front with some blizzards, my boy, so you might want to return home,” Toshinori said.

“It was good seeing you!” Izuku said before he peeled away from Toshinori’s path up into the now night sky. In the distance he could see other silvery forms twisting in the air: fellow river dragons, yet Izuku didn’t dare approach any of them. Not only was he not the guardian of any sort of body of water, with Lord All Rivers in One’s control of pretty much every river in Japan, except the Tone—which his boss rose to control—, most dragons were forced to work for others—especially the Lord of Dragons— for their continued existences. Izuku arrived at his bosses’s home with no trouble, this time. He shifted to his mostly human form without much thought and grabbed a broom to sweep up a mess of feathers he’d spotted. _Nana is visiting._ She was perched in her human form on the dining room table with Tori at her side.

“Deku! There you are! What took you so long?” Nana said.

“I was told to go have fun and explore so I did. I flew alongside Toshinori as he made storms appear,” Izuku said.

“Explains your wet hair,” Tori said with a grump huff. The older tengu spirit was not fond of water.

“As long as you had fun.” His surrogate Uncle—of his choosing—walked in. Lord One River for All wasn’t as grand a presence as his elder brother, nor did he present his form in ornate clothing. He simply wore a kimono of fine but relatively inexpensive materials with a hakama of similar cloth over which he wore a simple silk haori. All were dyed various blues, but since he was a dragon, the fact he chose what his clothes appeared as indicated this was a look chosen out of humility, or as humble as a dragon can stand to get.

“When will you be going?” Nana asked One for All.

“After I do a tour of my river. I suspect I will be in great need of a bath,” One for All said. Izuku winced. He remembered how bad it had been for him _last year_.

—————————— ———————

It was bad. So, so bad. Izuku tried to keep his head up as he walked behind as part of his boss’s small processional, but it was not easy.

“Perhaps our messenger should run ahead with a warning?” Goro said. The spider-spirit had a point. Izuku looked up.

“Uh, should I do that?” He asked One for All.

“If you could,” One for All said. Izuku nodded and transformed before he flew off and arrived at the front desk, turning back on the fly. Midnight was on duty.

“Hello, Midnight!”

“If it isn’t my favorite former coworker!” She said.

“Lord One for All is going to need the biggest tub and a lot of bath tokens,” Izuku said.

“She thought he might and has these on standby. I’ll send someone ahead to fill it for him,” Midnight said. She rang a bell and it was Tsu on duty.

“Kero, Deku!”

“Hey Tsu. My boss is kinda a mess, sorry,” Izuku said.

“It’s ok, kero. It’s my job.” The frog spirit girl took the bucket of tokens from Izuku and made her way to the tub. Izuku almost followed her but Goro’s dominant right hand was on his shoulder.

“Let’s get something to eat,” he said as he steered Izuku away towards the guest dining halls. He couldn’t remember being in one, messengers and tub-scrubbers weren’t usually allowed anywhere near them. Izuku was underwhelmed at how normal it was. He took a seat next to Nana. Goro sat across the table with Roku, Yonato, Sanji and Niito. A couple of smaller dragons were also on the same side of the table as Izuku with Tori rounding out the group.

“Shame Toshi had to change the weather so far away,” Nana said as she took a sake cup proffered by one of the servers with a slight nod of her head. Izuku politely refused the sake.

“Could I have tea instead?” He asked.

“Of course!” He knew that voice.

“Urara!” Izuku said.

“Oh! Deku! How good to see you!” Urara said as she hugged him around the neck.

“I didn’t know you were working this floor,” Izuku said.

“Bumi got sick so they went with the first cute faces they saw so Me, Yao-momo, and Suka were dragged up here,” Urara said. Izuku noticed Suka and Yao-Momo were also serving their party.

“I have the tea,” Yao-Momo said as she glided over, “Deku! It’s so good to see you and that you’ve managed to find a better place in the world.”

“I’m still a messenger but I work for One River for All,” Izuku said.

“Damn right he is! Little guy's nearly as quick as lightning!” Goro said. His second and third right arms pounded the table for him. This nearly caused Roku to spill his sake.

“You’ll get out, someday like we did,” Nana said kindly.

“I hope so, I’m itching to prove myself,” Suka said. The horns on her head and the reddish tint to her skin and hair pointed to Oni.

“I like your fire!” Goro said as he pumped all three of his left arms, which meant Yonato had to duck to avoid three fists to his face.

“We’re not holding you up are we?” Izuku asked.

“Oh, no. In fact, we’d rather serve a pleasant party like yours than some of the other guests that are here right now,” Yao-Momo said.The doors opened and in walked a newly cleaned One for All.

“Would you care for a drink?” Urara asked.

“Tea if you please,” One for All said. As she was pouring it, Tori spoke,

“Bet you three have tons of hilarious stories about the bean sprout.” _Oh, no._

“Sure do! Wanna hear about his first time flying?” Urara said with a grin. Izuku buried his face in his hands.

“I’m sure it was as gangly as any dragonet’s first time,” One for All said.

“Did you manage to twist up into a pretzel?” Urara said. One for All kept his face neutral for only a moment before he burst out laughing. The others joined him.

“At least I didn’t have to be rescued from the top of the bathhouse,” Izuku sputtered. Urara shrugged.

“I know, I was a balloon for a week, it’s fun!” She laughed.

“I do recall there were a lot of stumbles and falls whenever your tail first appeared,” Yao-Momo said. _Not Yao-Momo too_.

“Can’t say I saw much of him, except for that one time I saw him passed out in dragon form next to a portable heater a maid had left sitting in a hall while cleaning a room,” Suka said.

“To be fair, nothing is quite as nice for a dragon as a nice warm place to nap,” One for All said once he’d stopped laughing.

“If you think the kid twisting himself up is funny, wait till you get a load of what the spider did to himself!” Tori said.

“Aren’t we supposed to be laughing at the kid?” Goro said.

“Equal opportunity teasing, Goro,” Roku said.

“So, there Goro was, cocky as shit and thinks “I’m just going to spin this web that everyone’s going to think is great” and the dumb ass gets stuck in it because he forgot to make a non-sticky path for himself to walk on,” Tori said.Izuku laughed along with the others as more embarrassing stories began to be shared as well as many delicious meals.

“We have to go now. We’ve drawn out our duties as long as possible,” Yao-Momo said.

“It was pleasant speaking with you,” One for All said.

“I’ll help with the doors,” Izuku said after he stood up and also helped with the clearing, though the others had been stacking up their bowls and plates to make it easier for clearing purposes. Izuku stood outside the room with the girls for a moment.

“You know, until I got a really good look at you, I didn’t realize it was you. You’ve really grown since we saw you last,” Urara said.

“I have?”

“Your horns are a good twelve centimeters longer and you’re about thirty centimeters taller too,” Yao-Momo said.

“You’ve all grown too,” Izuku said.

“Yeah but we didn’t transform like you did from could-be-mistaken-for-a-lost-child to a dragon,” Urara said.

“We’d better get going. Don’t be a stranger, Deku!” Suka said. Izuku nodded to them and slipped back inside with the others.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I found out that okami are associated with certain types of weather and seem to have usually been dragons, ergo, Toshinori is able to change the weather.
> 
> This is completely on-brand with his canon self since he punched the air and changed the weather.
> 
> More notes on my sub-tangent:
> 
> I made First One for All the Tone River in my little sub-tangent because it's changed its course multiple times, and I'm imagining that as First OfA running from AfO.  
> It's also a pretty large river and if he's going to have a river to his name, I thought it might as well be a big one.  
> The tributaries are also under his control to a degree but he uses that to shelter those dragons who haven't sworn themselves to AfO for survival.
> 
> Like Izuku. 
> 
> First OfA has adopted Izuku as a surrogate nephew but to him Izuku is Izuku and not the replacement for his long dead nephew, even _if_ Izuku does look eerily like him.
> 
> Also, I used metric for measurements because Izuku and the others are Japanese —either culturally or by birth— ergo they'd use that for measurements. It made my American skin crawl to use metric like that but I'd rather use the system that is most accurate.  
> I'm just kidding btw, I've used metric in science class. It's fine...for science.
> 
> I gave 2, 3,4, and 6 names based on their numbers because their names aren't known and if they never reclaimed their names before getting free of the bathhouse, then their true names are lost -\\('-')/-
> 
> I was also going to wait to post this and the next one but I have no patience. lol
> 
> Note added March 9th, 2021-So. Let me rephrase something I wrote above. When I wrote this story, the names for 1,2,3,4, and 6 were not known to the fanbase at large. With name reveals in the future being inevitable, I will not be changing the number-based place holder names. This is because that'd be a bit....wrong for me to alter a work with future knowledge after posting.  
> If I'd still been writing this or preparing it for posting and a name reveal happened, then and only then would I change the name.  
> So, Tl:DR—Regardless of name revelations going forwards, I'm not going to change place holder names.


End file.
